discuss: Red Hat Linux + ISP Dial-up + ISDN External Modem HOWTO
Subject:
Re: Red Hat Linux + ISP Dial-up + ISDN External Modem HOWTO
From:
Bruno ####@####.####
Date:
22 Jul 2004 13:39:33 -0000
Message-Id: <000901c46ff1$5076c920$5100a8c0@egp>
Hi Tor, thank you for your help.
>
> - I don't think you need to restrict your document to RedHat users.
> Most of your text (save for the 'ifcfg-ppp0' configuration file)
> seems pretty generic.
Really? what type of linux do you have? Since i began working with linux i
was always using redhat OS's so I really don't have idea how the other
linuxes are. Before linux i worked with SCO Unix, and a lot of things
differ to redhat linux, so i'm not comfort in guessing what is a standard
in the linux world and what isn't.
>
> - There does not seem to be anything that is specific to ISDN
> connections either, aside from the 'cN=X' parameter to the AT string.
> (And I wonder if that parameter may be vendor-specific as well).
> I think your document is just as useful in the context of dialups
> over regular/analog modems.
Yes, really this configuration fits well for a common external modem. And
I'm not sure if that string is vendor specific, I've found it in a mailling
list somewhere... Maybe I can add a note about it.
>
> - WVDial is essentially a wrapper around 'pppd', which is covered in
> the 'ISP-Connectivity' HOWTO by Michael Strates ####@####.####
> Have you considered working with him to merge these two?
No i didn't. But that makes sense. Maybe he could add my howto as something
like "A Step-by-Step Example of making a Dial-Up connection Using an
External ISDN Modem"
(wow, too big name...)
But i will just contact him after include some corrections you proposed.
>
> Then some comments on the text:
>
> > 4) Information provided by your ISP
> >
> > Your ISP must provide you the following information: A user and
password to
> > authenticate your connection and the telephone number your modem will
dial
> > to connect with them.
>
> It is not always true that ISPs assign usernames and passwords. If they
> use the "CHAP" protocol for authentication, then a single "secret" may
> be used instead.
Have you ever saw a CHAP ISP before? I didn't. The PPP-HOWTO states in
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/PPP-HOWTO/x1005.html that CHAP ISP's are not
common. do you think its worth mentioning them here? i want to avoid making
the howto longer. I want it to be a quick reference.
But, if we add the CHAP stuff, how does it work? I read that the CHAP ISP
would provides you a user and password while your machine has to provide a
user and password for your ISP's modem. Is that right? How are the details
about it?
> > DNS servers and the default route
> >
> > When the ppp connection is established, the ISP will dynamically assign
> > your ppp interface with an IP address and a DNS number. The ppp
interface
> > will be set as the default route.
>
> The term "DNS number" does not mean anything. You can say "the
> address(es) of one or more DNS servers", or simply "one or more DNS
> servers".
perfect, thanks.
>
>
> > When the ppp connection is finished, your previous DNS configuration
and
> > default route are set up again automatically.
>
> ...automatically restored.
perfect again, thanks (are you american? apart from these errors, how would
you grade my written english?)
>
> > We'll edit/create the following system files:
> >
> > /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ppp0
> > ppp0 interface configuration file. Will be used by /sbin/ifup to
activate
> > the ppp0 interface and start the connection process.
>
> Non-RedHat users should read "man ifup" for specifics to their system.
OK.
>
> > Test the name resolution pinging a well known website: 'ping
> > www.nytimes.com'.
>
> In case this fails, it may also be useful to ping an IP address (such as
> your ISP's default gateway) to see if the failure is due to a DNS
> problem.
OK
>
> You may want to mention the 'demand', 'idle', and 'persist'/'nopersist'
> options to 'pppd' for on-demand dialling.
Good. I will just mention them, but i won't explain them. I'll suggest a
'man pppd' for checking out these options.
